Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle, as an seans a thabhairt dom caint faoin ceantair beocht seo do Baile Atha Cliath. In raising this matter I am making an appeal to Government for a neglected, if not forgotten, area of Dublin city. It is an area that is not properly represented by any elected Member. Changes in constituency boundaries have perhaps contributed to this. Cherry Orchard and its communities need representation more than many other communities.
Despite the selfless work and efforts of community groups, not least the Cherry Orchard Development Council, the many local youth projects and football clubs, the area has major social problems, including heroin addiction. These principally stem from massive unemployment. In response to a parliamentary question I put down on 22 December 1995, I was told that 50.5 per cent of the labour force in Cherry Orchard C district was unemployed. This community of 5,500 people and 1,200 households is without a school and has virtually no community facilities other than a small community centre and a church. That is a recipe for despair which often results in people succumbing to heroin and other drug addiction.
The vast majority of people in the area are decent. They detest drug dealers and want a future for their children. Nevertheless, the image provided by many of them has shocked me. I felt obliged to bring it to the attention of the House.
Sections of the community of Gallanstown, Cherry Orchard, are under siege from drug dealers. The bulk of Dublin's heroin is being shifted to areas such as Gallanstown and parts of Cherry Orchard due to community action elsewhere. Many of the city's drug users converge on this area by train, bus and taxi, and even on foot, to get their heroin supply. Addicts are openly using needles on buses, terrifying regular passengers. They have been seen waiting in groups for their heroin supply to arrive by Arrow train at the Cherry Orchard station. Convoys of taxis carrying addicts converge nightly on the area, despite special Garda checkpoints.
Despite Operation Dóchas, Garda manpower is inadequate and the active Garda drug unit, which is small but very effective, has been overwhelmed by the scale of the drug problem. I am told by local people that drug dealing is organised openly and in public view in many parts of the area. The vast majority of decent people in the community live in isolation and fear.
Some years ago I warned of the threat of drugs to the centre of Dublin. That warning was ignored and I was accused of false exaggeration. I hope that is not what I will hear following what I have said about this area of Cherry Orchard. If adequate action is not taken this community will be overtaken by drug dealers.
My recommendations include the redeployment of Garda forces in the areas in numbers sufficient to meet and remove the threat. Dublin Corporation's area action plan must be speeded up to provide urgently needed amenities. Local industrial development land must be specially designated to get local jobs now. The plans by the Department of Education for a national school and by the Eastern Health Board for a nursery must be speeded up. There must be an immediate resolution by Dublin Corporation regarding the derelict new houses at Gallanstown extension. The small minority of drug dealing tenants involved in heroin dealing must be removed from the estate.
These are minimum requirements to help this community resist drugs. If they are all to be enforced there must be an interagency co-ordinating group made up of the Department of Justice, Dublin Corporation, the heath board and the other agencies, including the Garda Síochána, to bring them together and to ensure speedy implementation in support of the community. Only coordinated action of this type will help save it, drive out the drug dealers and eliminate the threat posed by heroin. This community of 5,500 people is at the cross-roads. It deserves the Government's full support and assistance.
